Forever and Never
by Naomi Takamura
Summary: Ryuzaki frees Light from prison and ends up taking him in since he has nowhere to go. The two, after many troubles, form an unbreakable bond. Will contain Yaoi. Rated for violence.
1. The Beginning

**Disclaimer: Note that none of these characters belong to me. I an merely borrowing them for use in the fanfic.**

**Note: This story will contain Yaoi/Shounen-Ai.**

**Another Note: I'm really horrible at writing humor. If you have any suggestions, PLEASE, don't hesitate to leave them in a review or message!**

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Day 10

Concrete, dusty and disgusting under his hands. The smell in the air was one of sweat and rotting, untouched food. Cold permeated the walls, also concrete, splattered with bloodstains. Iron bars held fast in the stone ground, preventing the escape of countless people.

Criminals.

Including the infamous Kira.

Sitting in his cell, hissing and cursing under his breath, wondering how in hell he had been caught. His plan had been flawless until Ryuzaki had figured out one of the rules was fake.

_Those who write in the Death Note will die unless they write at least one name every 13 days._

That one rule had been a disaster, but had also helped him. In a sense, it was Kira's ultimate downfall.

The sound of footsteps. Heavy steps, belonging to that of a guard. Another pair followed in front of the original. Good.

A new playmate.

Kira so enjoyed the other prisoners. They were fun to anger, seeing them reach out of the bars, screeching with their rage, frustrated because they couldn't get to him. Confinement was actually very amusing. Ryuk was having fun as well.

Light had never given up possession of the Death Note, so Ryuk was trapped along with him. The guards had all touched the Death Note, so they could all see the insane Shinigami. Ryuk enjoyed appearing very near to the security cameras, scaring the life out of the guards. He commonly asked for apples, pleading with his creepily yellow eyes. He never got any. The Shinigami had been all over the world by that time, only in the ten measly days Light had been in prison. Though, he found that nothing surpassed the taste of fresh apples.

Having a Shinigami on your side was a good thing when in prison. Ryuk brought Light the most exquisite of his findings, most consisting of sweets. It was also someone to talk to. The Shinigami and the killer had become quite good friends during the short days. Light enjoyed Ryuk's presence.

Alright, back to the present.

Light stood at the bars, long fingers wrapped around the iron, smiling at the newcomer. The new criminal had been placed in the cell just opposite Light's, and seemed to be rather weak. What had he done wrong?

"Hey," Kira murmured. "What're you in here for?"

Over time, Light had gone insane due to the pressure of being Kira. His maniacal laugh in the last episode proves it.

The man's eyes flicked to Light. He was sitting sideways on his cell, on the floor, bald head seeming dull in the dim light.

"What's it to you?" He glared.

"A better question yet." Kira smiled. "What's your full name?" The man was unsuspecting, not knowing Light was Kira.

"Usami Tonaka. Why?"

Kira laughed. What a stupid man.

"No reason." He smirked. "So, again, what'cha in for?"

Usami grinned back, unknowing what the original smile was for. He also seemed proud of himself. This was the sort of person Kira hated.

"Murder."

"Nice one. How'd you get caught?" Even in Kira's eyes, it was easy to see he was crazed.

"Family walked in. Kinda pathetic, isn't it?"

"No, not really. I bet that happens a lot." It was true. At least half of the murders solved within a day were either because of L, or because someone came as they were either leaving, or as they were committing the crime. It wasn't uncommon. Many of the murders were of people that had family, and that was a mistake in itself. The family was likely not to leave the victim alone, or to come back at an unfair time. This was the way many murderers were caught.

Typical murderers, that is.

Not Kira.

Once L had figured out that the thirteenth rule was a lie, he did not hesitate to gather enough evidence against Light and Misa Amane to send them to prison. Or, since the two were originally supposed to be sent to their death, he had argued heavily in light's case, pleading for Light only to be sent to prison.

Not killed.

Misa, on the other hand, had met her fate only five days later.

Light hadn't cared.

Kira very much enjoyed causing trouble, until Ryuk fazed through the ceiling holding a Strawberry Cheesecake. L's favorite sweet. Light curled his hands into fists at the memory-inducing sweet, his nails digging into his palms. He growled after taking a deep breathing. If looks could kill, the Cheesecake would've melted right then and there. Ryuk set the abomination in front of him, still on the delicate plate. Light fumed.

_**CRASH!**_

Fragments of the China Plate flew from the wall, the bounce-back force of impact taking effect. The Cheesecake had made a satisfying 'splat' sound as it created a firework mark of pink cake across the wall.

"Got something against Strawberry Cheesecake?" Usami grinned, laughing internally, obviously.

Kira tried to calm down.

"No, just…it was L's favorite food. I have something against _him_." Kira almost laughed. The thought seemed silly at that point.

"You knew L?!" Usami was obviously surprised. "Why didn't you kill him?!"

"I was going to, once I found out his name. I just didn't get enough time." Kira's red-brown eyes were emotionless. Either that, or slightly disappointed.

"Oh."

The small, barred windows provided little light, and there were no electric sources in the cells. It was very dark each night, and Light often lay awake, thinking of other ways he could've avoided capture, wishing sometimes that he was back with L. He didn't understand that thought. Maybe it was because that would be better than a life sentence in prison, wouldn't it?

They could've at least graced him with a Wii or something. A book? Something. Anything.

Even that damned L.

The darkness of night permeated the walls of the cells. Light laid awake, consciously dreaming. He rarely slept anymore. There was no need for it. He exerted no energy during the day.

Midnight came and went.

Finally, the dark clutches of sleep overcame him.

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	2. Day 15

**Disclaimer: Note that none of these characters belong to me. I an merely borrowing them for use in the fanfic.**

**Note: This story will contain Yaoi/Shounen-Ai.**

**Another Note: I'm really horrible at writing humor. If you have any suggestions, PLEASE, don't hesitate to leave them in a review or message!**

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Day 15

Nothing interesting.

Nothing.

Nothing at all.

Light lay on the floor, rubbing the tip of his index finger on the floor, seeming a bit disappointed. But about what? The boredom, of course. Nothing interesting had happened in the past five days. Nothing at all. Usami had proved to be a bit entertaining, telling a great deal of amusing stories from the past.

At one point, Light had been told of a bet…over strawberries. Ten strawberries were at stake. All of the men were desperate to have them. And that's the just of it. Nothing more to say.

A bell sounded. A high, ringing pitch that stung Light's ears, giving him a slight headache. This perpetual noise continued for a few minutes, finally releasing to what seemed to be an intercom.

"As many of you know, we have been constructing a Prison Yard recently. It is with great pleasure I announce that the yard is finished. There will be set times in which you will all be free to go out into the yard to interact a bit more."

A Prison Yard, huh? Unusual, especially in Japan.

The bell rung again.

How he hated that bell.

Automatically, the doors opened. Prisoners flooded down the halls, following red arrows that obviously lead to the yard. It was very loud. Hundreds of voices rung in Light's ears, causing his previously existing headache to evolve into a migraine. He didn't bode well with noise.

The open sun outside didn't do much for his head either. Instead, he squinted, trying to block out as much of the blinding light as possible. Being so accustomed to the dark, drabness of the prison cells, Light suddenly found he despised the sun. It hurt.

Bodies bumped and slammed into one another, pushing the smaller and weaker out of the way, desperate to get into the yard. A large man openly pushed Light to the side, causing him to fall into Usami. Usami turned to look at Light, who had quickly gathered himself. He didn't take well to being insulted in any way. Being pushed out of the way like a ragged mutt was insulting.

Finally, the crowd had dispersed slightly. The prisoners were quickly interacting and making new friends as well as enemies. Rivals, in Kira's case. He had immediately sauntered to the man that had shoved him, and tapped his shoulder. A smug grin on his face, Light had instantly attempted to anger the man. It worked.

The sight of his face, a beat red, practically boiling with anger, was very amusing. This was more fun that Kira had had in weeks. A fist swished over his head as he ducked out of the way. He heard the air shatter in its wake. A smug grin on his face, both hands intertwined behind his back, Kira popped back up to full height. Just the sight of Kira's calmness angered the man even more. Another swing. Another miss. The man, he was sure of it, had popped a few veins in his face, causing the surface to take on an even more red appearance. If that was even possible.

Kira finally decided to come back with a blow of his own. He used his momentum from dodging, and swung around, curling his hand into a fist. With all his strength, the fist connected with his opponent's face. Simultaneous with the hit, the base of one of Kira's fingers practically screamed. It was as if someone had lit fire to it.

Worse.

Maybe.

Kira showed no sign of the agony was dancing across his hand. He squeezed one eye shut, and sucked up the pain, ignoring it. In his dawdling, the man's own fist nearly made a hit. He leaned back just in time. The air made a 'swoosh' sound as the balled hand broke through it. He lunged forward again, again making contact with his opponent's face. The blow wasn't as hard, considering he was using his good hand. Even so, the man's nose made a repulsive slurping sound upon coming into contact with Kira's fist. He screamed in pain and grabbed the mutilated feature, stumbling backward. A formidable crowd had gathered around the fight area, and guards watched in horror from the balconies above. There was much encouragement for either side, some screaming for Kira, in the name of Light, and others cheering on his opponent.

"Yagami! Yagami! Yagami!" They cheered rather loudly, drowning out the angry shouts of the guards.

Kira laughed cruelly, stepping backward, closing is eyes. In his stupidity, he was unaware of the man's quick recovery. A fist slammed into his cheek bone, causing him to stumble backwards. He held a hand to his already swelling cheek, and stared at his opponent, surprised. The man was smirking back at him, obviously proud for making his first hit. Kira took this opportunity to lunge forward and attempt to throw a punch of his own, but his opponent stepped backwards, and Kira nearly fell forward. The larger man brought a heel down on his back, proving to be nimbler than thought possible. Kira landed on his stomach, and the man grabbed his left arm, then bringing it and the right around to hold both behind his back.

Frustrated, Kira hissed, his injured cheek pressed hard against the hard soil that made the yard's ground. He growled indignantly, agitated by his loss. It made him realize, without the Death Note, he was nothing.

Powerless.

Weak.

A pathetic, pitiful God unless equipped by the little black book.

Kira hissed again, feeling the man's weight on his back. His former opponent was standing on him, only demeaning him further. Defeated, Kira closed his eyes and sighed. The crowd was mumbling around him. Two guards stepped near his head, and suddenly, the weight that was previously bearing down on him was released. Then, Kira was grabbed by the arm, causing a resounding throb in his mangled hand. Yanked to his feet by a guard, he noticed immediately his offender, being held back by two other guards, struggling and writhing, attempting futiley to get at him again.

Kira stuck out his tongue.

The guard slapped him.

He sulked.

The guard glared at him. An angry, disgraceful look, telling of disrespect beyond words. How dare they treat their God like this! But without the Death Note, he wasn't much of a God…

Sitting in his cell like a mutt being punished, Light grumbled angrily, frustrated at his defeat, but even more so at the punishment. No Prison Yard unless supervised carefully. It wasn't his fault, either. The other man had thrown the first punch. Light had only angered him. Still, it wasn't fair that he be punished with a long life inside whereas the other was only placed in solitary confinement for a week, then let back outside. It wasn't fair.

Fair.

When were things ever fair in prison?

Never.

Light stared at the ceiling as the sun set. Blood was splattered across the concrete surface, the setting sun casting an orange glow across the prison. It was hauntingly dull, nobody spoke, many falling asleep in their cells. The eerie sunset turned red, the light mixing with the blood on the ceiling. Light lay still, attempting to form shapes out of the blood. So far, he had forced a knife and a notebook out of the red marks. He had yet to find a pen. It was so dull in the prisons. Look at him. Trying to create a Death Note and pen out of bloodstains. Pathetic.

How he wanted his life back. Life as Kira. Life with L, back in HQ.

No, not with L. Never again with that bastard.

Never again.

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	3. Day 17

**Disclaimer: Note that none of these characters belong to me. I an merely borrowing them for use in the fanfic.**

**Note: This story will contain Yaoi/Shounen-Ai.**

**Another Note: I'm really horrible at writing humor. If you have any suggestions, PLEASE, don't hesitate to leave them in a review or message!**

* * *

Day 17

Sunlight was dim, scarcely making it through the small, barred windows. The blood marks on the ceiling were barely visible, as there was almost no light in the cells. By that time, Light had noticed that there wasn't only blood on the ceiling, but everywhere. Granted, most had been chiseled or washed away, but it was still there. Besides, how do you even get blood on the _ceiling_ anyway?

Come to think of it, it wasn't something he wanted to know.

Boots clunked on the concrete floor.

The guard passed without a word towards Light.

Light went back to his thoughts.

The walls were a dimmed, grey-red _veil_ of washed away blood. What had happened that caused the release of so much of the liquid? No, that wasn't something he wanted to know either.

The one thing that he wondered about, though, was the fact that there was no blood on the floor. None. Instead, the ceiling and walls were covered in it. How peculiar.

Ryuk vaporized in front of Light, scaring him half to death. The Shinigami held out a strawberry. Light just stared, wondering what Ryuk was implying by only bringing him L's favorite foods. How he had despised that oddly sitting, sweet loving, anti-social detective. How he still loathed him. As always, Light just glared at the newly acquired food, then up to Ryuk. The Shinigami smiled, open-mouthed, and nodded at him. Light took the strawberry and glared at it even more. He then threw it at Ryuk's head. Surprisingly, it bounced off. The Shinigami caught the offending fruit. He held it out again, hoping Light would at least try it. They were the best, other than apples, food he'd ever had. All the way from Paris, a very long journey if you asked the Shinigami. Really, though, it had only taken a few minutes to travel that distance, considering he could vaporize anywhere.

Ryuk waved the strawberry in front of Light's face. The male in question just glared, his arms crossed. Finally, he gave in and took the fruit again. This time, though, instead of chucking it at the Shinigami he'd come to love, he took a bite off the very tip. Sweetness seemed to expand in his mouth, not a hint of strawberry's usual sour flavor traceable. Nothing was wrong. Did L ever have strawberries like that? Maybe that was the reason he loved the tiny fruits so much.

No.

No more thoughts about L.

Never again.

Light flopped onto his back in his cell, going back to staring at the ceiling. He whispered a thank-you to Ryuk for bringing the strawberry, and resumed silence. Ryuk, in his annoying manners of entertaining himself, suddenly decided to latch onto Light. So, he did.

The rather large Shinigami descended on Light, practically crushing him under the thin, lengthy body he had. The wings curled around the younger man, picking him off the floor slightly. Ryuk seemed to purr, showing his affection. Light tried to get away without struggling too much, secretly almost.

Eventually, Light succumbed to the insane Shinigami's hug. He remained still, letting himself fall limp. The wings tightened on Light's form, Ryuk clearly enjoying himself. It was rare that Light actually let him do this sort of thing.

After deciding that Light wasn't even responding to his hug, just laying there and enduring it, Ryuk let go and floated away a bit.

The human sighed, grinning slightly. He looked to the Shinigami that had just finished assaulting him, and his smiled broadened. At least Ryuk had had fun while the 'hug' lasted.

Boots, larger than the previous ones, clanked on the floor as the guard approached. Light rubbed the light sleep from his eyes and stared through the bars. Probably the largest guard he'd ever seen was slowly sauntering down the hallway, peering into every cell as he passed it. The man was obviously meant for Light. But what had he done wrong? Nothing within the past few days qualified as 'punishable' in his mind. Yet still, the massive guard continued on his path. His footsteps shook the ground slightly, sending tiny quivers of fear up Light's spine. He didn't like when people were larger than him in any way. Be it bulk, fat, or height. The scrawny criminal inched into the corner of his cage, hiding behind his bed.

The footsteps stopped.

Light curled tighter.

"Yagami. Show yourself," a deep, menacing voice boomed. Criminals of all types peeked out from their cells at the sound.

Light inched out of his hiding place rather reluctantly. He caught sight of the guard, and promptly made to hide again. A key turned in the lock, and the cells door creaked open. By this time, there were murmurs humming all across the hallway. Light shrunk back against the wall. He was in no mood to deal with the authorities at that point in time.

A beefy hand reached around and grabbed Light by the back of his shirt. He was lifted to his feet, and another hand grabbed his before the original one let go. The guard had an iron grip on Light's wrist, and the young man saw no chance of escape.

"Come with me," the, decided by Light, fat man boomed.

"May I ask where we're going?" Light could feel the quaver in his voice. He had masked it as well as possible, but to no avail. Still, there was that looming quiver.

"You've been called upon. We're transferring you to the Fey Wong Prison in central Japan."

"Aren't we already in central Japan?"

"…" The man stared at him as if he had said that he was L. "No, we're in southwest Japan."

"Oh."

A small 'bye, Light…' followed after the departing couple, obviously coming from Usami. Light had to admit, he would miss his newfound friend. Maybe they could meet again someday.

After that, Light followed the man wordlessly.

It was a short trip, but they quickly passed through many long corridors. There were no rooms for the most part; only halls and corridors. How dull. Eventually, the pair came outside into the sun. Or, what was supposed to be sun. It was pouring, and within seconds, they were soaked through the underwear. Light didn't mind the rain, but the guard's mood went on a steep decline the moment they exited into the weather. His hand tightened around Light's wrist, spurring slight pain from his broken finger. He was piled into a black limousine, unfitting for a criminal. Perfect for a God.

It was a long, silent drive, consuming over two hours of time, changing that time into boring seconds that ticked by as slowly as possible. Nobody spoke, nobody moved. Light stared out the window, taking in the scant scenery as they passed through bustling cities and quiet woods. Eventually, Light fell asleep, and thus had no idea how long the full drive was. The only thing he remembered about the drive aside from the two hours, already passed, was an elbow being sharply jabbed into his side. He slowly came awake. The guard was staring at him with deep-set eyes, already halfway out of the limo. Light yawned and followed him.

Instantly, his hands were bound at his back; they obviously didn't trust him much. He was lead through endless tunnels and corridors, finally reaching a large room. In the center stood a small, round table. Two teacups adorned the table, each filled with sweet smelling liquid. Light raised an eyebrow. What was going on? Why hadn't he been taken to a cell?

Light looked up…

And froze.

L smiled. "Hello, Light."

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	4. Encounter

**Disclaimer: Note that none of these characters belong to me. I an merely borrowing them for use in the fanfic.**

**Note: This story will contain Yaoi/Shounen-Ai.**

**Another Note: I'm really horrible at writing humor. If you have any suggestions, PLEASE, don't hesitate to leave them in a review or message!**

* * *

Encounter

"Come sit down; your tea is getting cold." L seemed so nonchalant. He always did.

Light's fists were clenched, his nails biting into the pale skin of his palms. His broken finger screamed in protest when he tried to move it, but even so, it wouldn't budge. Light took deep breaths, attempting futilely to control the anger that welled up inside him. His insides, by that point, were a red-hot pit of rage and fury. The very man that had sent him into the hell-hole of a prison was sitting right in front of him! Why would the Great Detective want to see _him_?! A lowly criminal! Light hissed angrily, curling his fists tighter. Oh, how he wanted to kill L. So horribly that it hurt. The pain of wanting and not getting something wasn't much compared to the overall grief that L had caused Light. Those months during the case, just to end up like any other criminal. His failure was demeaning, more than the fact that he had lost in a fight or been caught so off-guard by L's appearance.

It took a long while, but Light finally calmed down enough to act civilly. He shuffled towards the minute table and sat down, still glaring at L. The tea was very sweet, and cold. Light hated cold tea, but he had to deal with it, nonetheless.

He looked up at L. Or, more _glared_, giving the detective a look that often sent others running. L just sat still in his usual position and slurped his tea.

Finally: "Light, I have come to give you an option."

There was an awkward pause. An option for _what_? Stay here and rot or fall in love with the detective? He'd rather burn at the stake than like his polar opposite in the slightest. Even so, his interest was peaked slightly.

"You can come and stay with me, living the same way we did while working on the Kira case," L took another sip of his tea. Light's was only halfway finished.

There seemed to be a menacing glint in the teacup, glimmering like golden-brown poison just waiting to strike.

"Or?" Light murmured. He very well knew what L would say, but he just wanted to make sure.

L didn't respond.

Light finished his tea. L had long before, but probably enjoyed the elixir more because of the insane amount of sugar that had been added.

There was an awkward silence between moments, the air seeming to crackle and fizz between L and Light. The latter seemed absolutely furious, whereas the former was as calm as ever. Light glared into his empty teacup, L merely watching him, seeming to be waiting for something. This confused him. Was L waiting for him to say something? For something to happen? Is so, then what?

Without warning, Light's vision blurred and became outlined in black. He had a hard time staying awake, and even though this only took a few moments to happen, next thing Light knew, he was falling.

"I'm sorry, Light." There was a slight pause, the voice familiar. "I lied when I said you had a choice."

* * *

A dull ache greeted Light as he woke. His vision hadn't quite yet returned, but he knew he was on something soft and squishy. Probably a bed. Back at HQ. He hissed and cursed under his breath. Damnit, L! He didn't want anything to do with the detective, and that stupid genius had forced him!

It took a long while, but Light's vision eventually returned. He sat up and looked around the room.

The floor was a creamy-white carpet, smooth as silk. The bed was simple, consisting of a dark brown wood frame, the headboard flat until the very top, where it curled away from the bed. The footboard was the same, but, obviously curved away from the main bed in the opposite direction. The comforter was a soft, lime green with a chocolate brown lining. The pillows were decoratively placed, the back row consisting of three brown ones of the same color as the comforter's lining. A row of two smaller lime green pillows lay in front of the brown, the same color as the main comforter. Three continually smaller pillows adorned the bed in front of those, a darker green. An even darker layer of two, placed to the diagonal sides of the previous layer, still smaller, lay in front of those. Finally, one tiny pillow of the original soft, lime green lay in the front, center of those.

A laptop stood proudly on a darkly colored, wooden desk. An armchair sat in front of the desk, a pale, lime green like was obviously the theme of the room. Good thing Light liked green. The closet was already filled. A green light hung from the ceiling, delicate and ornate. It was a very simple room, not too crowded, and not too empty.

Light made his way to the door and twisted the knob. A faint 'ding' sounded somewhere else in the massive building. He felt his ear twitch, catching the sound a bit better. How strange. Maybe L wanted to know when he was awake?

It didn't take long, and Light had eventually scaled the stairs and come into the main room: the only room L ever seemed to be in. Through raven hair, L turned his head and stared at Light with his darkly underlined eyes. He didn't smile, only watched as Light approached.

"How are you feeling?" L finally asked.

Light didn't grace him with an answer.

"I'm sorry for earlier. I just couldn't bear to have you rot there."

Again, only silence came from the other end.

Rude.

L shaved off a small piece of cake and popped it into his mouth. Light hadn't noticed the sugary treat until then.

Watari wheeled a small cart from behind the pair. L turned around to stare at the amount of sweets that adorned it. Cakes lined the bottom shelf. Massive Éclairs of all types were delicately placed farther up, and on the top was a circle of cupcakes. Some were red velvet, others were chocolate, some strawberry, and some vanilla.

L finished his cake and went to work on another slice.

Light cleared his throat as if he was about to speak.

L stopped eating and looked up at him.

Nothing.

The detective went back to his sweets.

"You drugged me." It wasn't a question, but a statement. Light was extremely upset about what L had done to him, and did not appreciate the kindness he was showing.

"Yes." L continued with his cake.

"How did you know that I would say no? And how did you convince the prison to let you take me?"

"It's not a secret that you despise me, Light. And as for freeing you, it took quite some time, just as it did to convince them not to kill you."

Light had not been expecting this. He, at the time, had thought that they were going to kill him, and had been rather confused when they didn't. He'd had no idea that that was L's doing.

"Free? How am I free? I'm stuck _here_, with _you_!" He hated the place, and the person he was trapped with. Especially the latter.

"Because you're no longer behind bars." L looked hurt at the second part. "That was rude, Light."

It didn't matter to Light. He could be as rude as he wanted. He was seething at that point, filled to the brim with rage. It took everything in his power not to hit L. But why resist?

Light's already broken hand, forgotten, practically screamed when it came into contact with L's face. The detective retaliated with a strong kick to the cheek. The same one that had been injured in the first fight.

It was just like during the Kira case. Fighting seemed to be the best way the pair solved their problems.

* * *

By the end of it, Light was sprawled on the floor, having lost. L was curled in his chair, slumped down with his knees bent and his feet diagonal to the wall. He was staring at Light, his eyes seeming even darker-rimmed than before. They were half closed, creating a semi-circle. His raven hair was even wilder than usual.

Light's hair, for that matter, was a mess. He'd taken several good blows to the face, and hadn't been able to get very many hits in. L was shockingly strong. He knew that he would have a very bruised figure, having taken a good deal of hits everywhere else, too. He was sure that his wrist was broken. Now he had a completely unusable hand. A broken finger and a broken wrist. Perfect.

L got to his feet and immediately hunched over in his usual way. He shuffled over and extended a hand to help Light up, but the younger man refused. He was just laying there. Had L caused a concussion? No, he hadn't been kicking hard enough. But still, Light's behavior worried him.

Much to L's relief, Light used his good hand to prop himself up. Once he was sitting upright, he used the same hand to rub his skull. He had a resounding headache, each beat of his heart pounding against his skull like a mallet. He looked up and noticed L watching him with a worried expression. He glared in return.

"There's no reason to be sour."

Light thought there was. He'd lost _again_, and was frustrated at his weakness. Without the Death Note, he was human.

Light slowly and painfully got to his feet. He stumbled slightly, expecting to be able to stand perfectly. L caught him, but they both fell over in return. L ended up lying underneath Light. They both looked stunned.

Immediately Light got up again and stormed out of the room. That last thing L saw of him until midnight was when he climbed the stairs and vanished from sight.

* * *

**Please leave a review if you liked the story!**


	5. Day 18

**Disclaimer: Note that none of these characters belong to me. I an merely borrowing them for use in the fanfic.**

**Note: This story will contain Yaoi/Shounen-Ai.**

**Another Note: I'm really horrible at writing humor. If you have any suggestions, PLEASE, don't hesitate to leave them in a review or message!**

**And: PLEASE, tell me if there's any grammar or spelling mistakes! I'll love you forever if you do!**

* * *

Day 18

Midnight came.

The clock tower chimed in the distance.

Feet shuffled nervously outside Light's bedroom door.

He knocked. It sounded louder than was intended, but a husky voice came from within.

"Come in. You would even if I said no."

The doorknob turned noisily. L made a mental note to have Watari oil it. The door creaked as it opened. Poor Watari. The man had oiled both aspects of the hinges not a week before.

Light was sitting on the edge of his bed, looking out the massive window that made up a good portion of the East wall of his room. He didn't seem happy.

Not with L.

Not with himself.

Not with life.

"What do you want?" Still rude, with a blunt-sided tinge. Light didn't seem angry, but he didn't seem sad, either. Probably somewhere in between.

"I just wanted to see if you were ok. That you hadn't jumped out the window and killed yourself." At this, a smile flashed on Light's lips. He had been thinking about the action at an earlier time. It now sounded like a stupid and foolish idea. L seemed to agree.

"No. I figured, since I'm essentially stuck here, I might as well have fun with it."

L was surprised. Light having fun in a situation he obviously didn't like…

It was as if the world had flipped over.

A long while passed in silence. At one point, L had shuffled to where Light was sitting and flopped down next to him. Light had scooted away slightly. The pair sat in silence, watching as the moon shone over the woodlands, the howls of countless wolves permeating the cold, autumn air. Stars glimmered dimly in the sky, clouds covering many of them. The grass below swayed in a slight breeze, as if dancing. Trees brushed together, practically singing, their leaves falling away with every touch. It was deep into winter, but the trees were losing their leaves very quickly. The river below sparkled with moonlight, sending light into the air like dust off a very old book.

L inched closer. He didn't know why, but for some reason, he wanted to lean against Light and hug him. But he stayed put, as Light instantly scooted away again, putting even more distance between them. When he did this, he shot L a harsh glare.

L pouted.

* * *

Someone knocked on the door. L hadn't realized he had closed it.

"Come in."

Light glared at him again. He obviously didn't want anyone else in his room.

Watari entered, wincing when the doorknob and door squealed upon being moved. He was carrying L's laptop. When he opened it, a massive room was displayed on the screen, hundreds of police officers in what seemed to be an office for democracy purposes. On the other side, though, a black, calligraphic L adorned the otherwise white screen. It was all anyone ever saw of L.

"L? Have you caught Kira?" The voice was familiar, but Light couldn't place it.

The detective seemed slightly taken aback. He thought that the news had spread to the police force by that point.

"Yes," he murmured. The voice would be garbled and synthetic on the other end. "Over eighteen days ago, ." L seemed surprised, even as he spoke.

Light's father.

Light knew how disappointed Soichiro was in him. He gritted his teeth angrily.

"Where is he?" The man on the other end seemed utterly and openly peeved. Light knew instantly that his father wasn't happy he was out of prison. Maybe he was upset Light was even still alive. This only angered the teenager further; having to put up with such horrible surrounding was bad enough. His father had started communication at the worst time possible, it seemed. Could the moment get any worse?

"I brought him back with me. He is under my supervision. Would you like to see him?" L seemed rather hopeful. Light cursed under his breath. He never wanted to hear of his father again. That man had been part of the cause Light had been captured. He had help, but so had Light. The only difference? The latter had been counterproductive.

"After what he's done? No. I never want to see that boy's face again. He has caused an endless amount of disgrace upon our family. Furthermore, he is no longer a part of said family." The voice seemed to spit the words, as if his tongue wouldn't cooperate with his thoughts.

After a moment, L's expression deepened into one of sadness. "Oh. I see." Did he even remember his family? Why so solemn? Maybe he had been pushed away, too.

He closed the laptop, ending the communication, and handed it back to Watari. The older man bowed respectfully and hurried away, once again wincing at the creaky door. Watari would have to oil the damned hinges, he knew. L would tell him to, soon enough. He would prolong the duty until the time came around.

Light stared out the window, emotionless. Wolves howled. He knew his father didn't see his point of view; that of justice. Soichiro would never see like his son.

Never.

He would always be foolish like L.

Like much of the world.

They didn't understand justice. They thought everyone had a right to live. They were wrong. Not everyone, depending on their actions, would be allowed to continue with life. Light would, once he regained hold of the Death Note, continue with his original plan. He wouldn't let the notebook out of his sight for anything. L would never take it away again.

But where was it?

* * *

The clock tower rung loudly, deep and bold.

When had Light fallen asleep?

He could only remember thinking about what he would do with the Death Note once he got it back, but nothing else. Had L drugged him again? The raven-haired detective was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he was sleeping.

No.

L never slept. The insane amount of sugar he consumed probably kept him awake all the time. It was no wonder he had such large marks under his eyes. It must've been from lack of sleep.

Anyway…

Light got out of bed and stretched, arching his back until he heard dozens of crackles along the length of his spine. Feeling refreshed, he then slipped out of the room. When he opened the door, that same bell rung. High pitched, somewhere else in the extensive mass of rooms and corridors. Alerting L that he was awake.

L was standing, or hiding, against the wall. The door swung outwards, and thus hid him from sight when Light exited. Silently, L followed the younger man. The brunette didn't notice him, even when they had passed down the stairs and into the kitchen. When Light finally turned around, he leaped around three feet into the air and yelped in surprise. He ended up on the floor, propped up on one hand, the injured on clenching the skin above his heart. L could _hear_ the boy's heart beating. Maybe he had scared him a bit too bad…

"Never. Do that. Again," Light panted.

L smiled. It was adorable. Utterly adorable. "Sorry."

Light stared. L's eyes seemed to light up when he smiled, as if he'd just seen the largest cake in history and it was all for him.

Light's finger and wrist had been dressed the previous night. L had known he'd broken something. The snapped bones were already on their way to recovery.

L extended and hand. Light took it gratefully, and was standing within seconds. The boy really did have a lot of energy.

The childish man looked down at his cake, gleaming prettily in the dim light of his computers. He licked his lips. It was well past nightfall, but he never slept. He preferred to eat the night away, feasting on cake and other sweets.

Another man, younger, passed behind the other, still staring at his cake. He smiled.

Maybe he really was warming up to L.

* * *

**Please leave a review if you liked the story!**


	6. Day 21

**Disclaimer: Note that none of these characters belong to me. I an merely borrowing them for use in the fanfic.**

**Note: This story will contain Yaoi/Shounen-Ai.**

**Another Note: I'm really horrible at writing humor. If you have any suggestions, PLEASE, don't hesitate to leave them in a review or message!**

* * *

Day 21

_The Runaways_

Nothing eventful had happened in the past few days. It had been boring, just sitting at the desks with L, waiting for a case. One never came. Maybe the criminals in the world thought that Kira was still out there, and would punish them if they did any wrong. They were right, though. Kira was still there. Just without power.

Lowly and trapped with the one person he hated the most.

Soichiro had started a chat with L a few times over the latter's laptop, but they never really went anywhere. The older man was obviously upset with L for releasing his son from Prison. And, to prevent anything more from happening.

He had told Roger.

L's eyes had widened when Soichiro said this. He seemed utterly shocked and entirely horrified.

L had never liked Roger as much as Watari. The man was different. He worried too much over L and Watari, keeping the clock at his side at all times. L often wondered how he got to be the head of Wammy's House. Probably only because Watari left, and the only one that could fill the position was his brother, Roger.

Not even the kids liked the man. Apparently, Mello and Matt, being best friends since Mello said his first word to the red-head, had pulled numerous pranks on Roger. Every time, they were caught and given detention. Every time, they ditched.

After he knew there was no changing what had been done, no making sure Roger didn't find out, he just sighed and brushed it off.

* * *

Light found him that night; sound asleep in his chair at the expanse of computers. There were no plates around him, meaning he'd eaten no sweets recently enough. A sugar shortage, probably. Light wondered where his room was. Did the detective even have one?

The brunette had resorted to asking Watari.

"Watari? Does L have a bedroom?" Light asked nervously. He was holding L in his arms, the older of the two clearly still asleep.

"Yes, but it is extremely unused. It would be better if you didn't go in there until I've had a chance to clean it up."

Light just stared. He could take L to _his_ room, but that meant he'd have nowhere to sleep. Oh well. It was for the better.

On the way to his room, still carrying L, it occurred to him. A few days ago, Light would've just left the detective to sleep in his chair. He wouldn't have cared whether he burned at the stake or not. If that wasn't proof of warming up to L, nothing was.

* * *

"Matt, throw it here!"

The silver disc flew through the air towards the waiting blonde. It was caught with pinpoint precision, the disc landing in the dire center of his hand. Biting off another piece of the chocolate he was known for always having, the boy ran, only to be followed by a red-head and a wailing girl. The numerous chained crosses he kept on his person clinked slightly as he ran. His breaths puffed, hot and warm in his face. Leaving countless yards behind, the boy dashed around a corner and hurdled down a large flight of stairs. The red-head trailed closely behind. Both rounded a corner, the blonde giving his friend just enough of a speed boost to catch up, but continuing to leave their victim in the dust.

Suddenly, two hands extended from a doorway and caught the backs of their shirts. The blonde dropped the disc. It didn't break, and the girl took it back.

"I need to speak to you two," Roger said, still holding their shirts.

Mello and Matt looked up at him gravely, and nodded.

"Find Near. It's important."

* * *

"Kira is free."

"What?!" Mello was furious.

"Kira has been freed by L," Roger repeated.

Near sat on the floor, a lithe ghost, absorbed in his puzzle. The boy was rarely seen walking or standing; he preferred to remain near to the floor. His hand wavered, still holding a white puzzle piece. Kira was free? Why would L do such a stupid thing? He could easily be killed!

"Why?" It was the first word the boy had said all day, filled with malice, yet calm. Unlike the fuming Mello.

"Who knows what goes through that boy's head. All we know is that it's done and can't be undone."

Then Matt spoke up. He had been silent before; just listening. "Maybe we should pay our mentor a little visit."

Near and Mello murmured in agreement, Near still watching as his puzzle steadily came together.

"No. You must stay at the orphanage," Roger complained.

The threesome glared at the old man.

"We're old enough to go somewhere alone," the little white boy murmured.

"Plus, it's boring here. We'll have guns when out there, too," Matt added.

"And chocolate!" Mello smiled.

"I don't," Near mumbled. They all stared at him. Everyone at Wammy's House carried a gun when outdoors.

Almost.

In Mello's case, he'd taken a few other students' guns for himself. He hid them in random spots all over the orphanage. None of the caretakers had ever been able to find all of them. When he went outside, it was odd to think of where he kept all of them.

"You may not go."

"We're going," Mello and Matt argued in unison. They smiled at each other, knowing their minds were well intertwined.

Surprisingly, Near abandoned his puzzle and stood next to them.

"If they go, they're bound to drag me along with."

The blond and red-head shot each other a malevolent grin.

Roger stood up suddenly, knocking his chair back, silencing the trio as his fists slammed down on the ornate, wooden desk. "You three aren't going anywhere. Go to your room. Now."

Through golden tresses, the most violent of the three glared at Roger. Matt just sighed and placed his hand on the blonde's back to calm him. The turned around, still making contact with one another, and stalked out of the room. To work off the anger, the devilish duo would probably torment other students. There was no stopping them, everyone knew by then.

Near seemed hurt. He bowed slightly and inch by inch, exited the room.

* * *

A sleepy-eyed detective shuffled out of Light's bedroom slowly. He wondered why Light hadn't been in his room, and where he was. Also, when had L fallen asleep? He hadn't slept in longer than he could remember.

Light was on the first floor, which was mostly unused. He'd set out long walls of dice, stacked high. Placing one wrong, one pile collapsed, causing a chain reaction. Within seconds, the brunette was surrounded by mounds of die.

"All those hours of work…" He glared solemnly at the ground, at the mounds of die.

"It was quite exquisite while it lasted."

Light whipped around at L's voice, surprised. He had black streaks under his eyes, just like L. It seemed he hadn't slept at all, the same as the detective had predicted. He pitied the younger man. Light had given up his bed just so L could sleep well.

"It's nice to see you're awake." L raised an eyebrow at this. Light really was changing for the better, just as he had thought.

"Yes ,well. I'm up for some breakfast. Do you want anything?"

"Sure. What're you having?"

L looked at him as if he was stupid. "Have I ever had anything except cake?"

Light seemed to think about it, then shook his head. He had never seen the detective eat anything but sweets. It just wouldn't be him if he did.

The two, side by side, stalked up the flight of stairs.

* * *

Still sulking from Roger's refusal, Near slowly went back to him room after dinner, his bare feet tapping away at the wooden floor. He rubbed an eye and opened the door. Matt and Mello looked up at him. They were on the floor, stuffing bundles with clothing, food they had obviously stolen from dinner, cigarettes, and chocolate. Near looked at them questioningly.

Mello had obviously retrieved his guns from their various hiding places around the orphanage. Matt had a bundle for the soul purpose of game systems and batteries.

Near then spotted the toys he'd been trying to find a good portion of the day. They were in their own bundle, directly beside Matt.

Mello stood and gathered his two rucksacks. He approached Near and placed a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. Matt joined him.

"Grab the stuff we packed for you and anything you want. We're leaving," the blonde said rather gruffly. It was an order. They were taking him with.

Near nodded and closed the small bag they had put together for him. Joining them, the three trotted out the door and into the expanse of hallways. Everyone would still be at dinner, so they should have been in the clear if they'd calculated their timing right. It wouldn't be long before someone in the orphanage realized they were gone. The only reason was that Mello and his best friend, Matt were always causing trouble in one way or another. It would be quiet without them.

Looking out into the pouring rain, the trio stood there, their sacks slung over their shoulders. Giving Wammy's House one final look, they turned.

And left for good.

* * *

**And so, our brave little trio is off on an epic adventure!**

**Please leave a review if you liked the story!**


	7. Day 23

**Disclaimer: Note that none of these characters belong to me. I an merely borrowing them for use in the fanfic.**

**Note: This story will contain Yaoi/Shounen-Ai.**

**Another Note: I'm really horrible at writing humor. If you have any suggestions, PLEASE, don't hesitate to leave them in a review or message!**

* * *

Day 23

"Ow, stop it!"

"Sorry, it's not my fault Near is pushing me into you."

"Well, you could give me a bit more space!"

"Did you not just hear me?!"

Near grimaced. It had been two days since they'd left the orphanage, and the devilish duo, as they'd often been called, had done nothing but bicker. The alleyway was dark, and everyone was cramped. They were all trying to walk side by side.

It wasn't working out well.

The ghost boy walked directly into a dumpster.

The other two went on without him, still yelling at the other.

Near gathered himself, brushing the grime off his white clothes.

"Will you two just shut up already?!" Near was angry with the two. It was so strange for him, feeling such strong emotion. Feeling any emotion at all, really.

They stopped and turned to look at him. It was virtually impossible to read their faces, as the rain and dark was making it hard to see five feet in front of him. They seemed surprised, though, at his show of the rare emotion. The two continued to stare, letting him return to his position on the far right side. The trio continued their journey, which still had no leads on where L was. They had asked all over town. Nobody knew a Ryuzaki.

True, L rarely went out in public, but it was still insanity. Mello was close to screaming and ripping his hair out.

It had also been raining the entire time. A very heavy, drench-someone-in-seconds kind of rain. The three could barely see three feet ahead of them during the night, and not much more during the day. They didn't sleep during their journey. Matt complained about running out of batteries. Mello yelled at him for complaining and being stupid. The batteries had been ruined in the rain.

Mello glared at the air in front of him. Any time he wanted chocolate, he'd had to find some sort of shelter. He also couldn't use guns. That sort of idea would be worthless in the rain, the gunpowder soaked and useless in seconds.

Still slightly angry, the three continued on through the alley. After what seemed like forever, they exited onto the main road of the massive city. If they had known where L was, it would be a walk in the park from there.

After two more hours of the freezing weather, they finally came to a massive warehouse.

"Why don't we go to the roof and look around. We have no idea where we are."

The other two, Matt and Mello, stopped. It was true.

* * *

Life wasn't normal.

Not in the slightest.

Especially not for Matt.

Sure, he liked Mello. But still, sometimes the blonde wierded him out.

Mello was standing on the roof, one foot on the very edge. Matt stood behind him with his arms crossed impatiently.

The rain had finally subsided. Near had gone to ask where they were exactly, leaving Matt with the alien.

Mello peered out over the extensive city, eating chocolate piece by piece.

Matt winced when he heard a 'snap' as the blonde bit off another, larger, chunk. He had been trying to ration Mello's chocolate consumption over the journey, if only to not hear the moaning when the blonde ran out. It hadn't worked. Mello had only spat that he would cut down on the sugary coco if Matt stopped smoking. The former had even pointed one of his many guns at the red-head's face, threatening to shoot unless Matt threw away his cigarette that very instant. Of course, Matt had done what his best friend asked, but taken the chocolate out of his hand immediately afterward. The rest of the day had not gone smoothly.

Matt reached into his back pocket, fishing around for his lighter and last cigarette of the journey.

Mello heard the click of his friend's lighter. He shoved his remaining chocolate into his mouth and whipped around, stalking angrily towards Matt. Grabbing the offending fag out of Matt's mouth, he chucked it over the far edge of the warehouse. Ignoring Matt's surprised wail, he took out another bar of chocolate.

"What was that for?!"

"I told you to stop smoking," the blonde mumbled around a particularly large chunk of his sweet.

There was a pause.

Mello could practically _see_ the cogs turning in Matt's empty head.

"Is that your last bar of chocolate?"

Mello had just been about to bit off another chunk. He stopped and lowered the sweet in question. "Yes. Why?"

He seemed utterly and essentially confused.

Matt was working his tail off to keep a straight face.

He finally grinned.

* * *

The red-head was struggling to keep a hold on Mello's ankles as the blond dangled over the side of the building's roof. He was holding the silver wrapper of his chocolate bar, whimpering as the casing slowly tore, letting the chocolate hang closer to its certain doom.

After Matt had thrown said chocolate, the idiot that was hanging from the building had leapt over the edge, trying to catch it.

After many stressed minutes, Matt had succeeded in pulling his best friend back onto the roof. The chocolate had been lost, falling to the busy street below where a parked car was waiting.

* * *

A man, tall and strong, was coming back to his car from a busy day at work. The alarm went off, beeping loudly. There was a visible, thin slit in the car's front window. About the size and shape of a large chocolate bar.

A young boy with bleach-white hair had been passing by the car when it had been rudely impaled. He looked up.

Two heads, one red haired, one blonde, were sticking out over the roof of the building. The blonde disappeared first.

Mello and Matt. Why was he not surprised?

Near slid his fingers to the expanses of his face, his palm coming to rest at the tip of his nose. An audible laugh came from above, followed by Matt's voice.

"Mello, Near just facepalmed you!" Matt pointed at his friend as he spoke.

Another yell, this one angry. "You were the only that threw the chocolate, you idiot!"

Silence.

* * *

Breakfast with L had been enjoyable, two days before. The two had begun spending quite a bit of time together, and Watari had begun to see old tensions and frays in the bond vanish and mend. They really were getting along well.

Light poked his head over L's work. Or what was soon to be work.

There had still been no cases.

None.

Nada.

Zero.

Ryuk had been having a great deal of fun. Apples were plentiful in L's headquarters, so he was never seen without one. He had grown quite a fondness of apple pie as well as apple fritters and apple crumbly. Anything apple. The Shinigami had even stolen Misa Amane's apple lip gloss during the Kira Case.

He vaporized behind L and peered over the detective's shoulder. Proceeding to steal L's strawberry cheesecake, he cackled and vanished again, taking the sweet with him.

L looked like a lost puppy, causing Light to laugh. Pitifully, L sulked back to the kitchen to take a new slice of his sugary treat.

Light looked after him, still smiling. He was growing fond of the raven-haired detective, but kept his intentions to return to his position as Kira.

"L, mind telling me where you hid the Death Note?"

Through a mouthful of cake, L responded. "I gave it to my heirs, Mello and Near."

L never would have said that if he had known where the two were, along with Matt. Trudging through the cold, coming to find him, a thought dawning on Matt's mind at that very second.

It never made it all the way.

That thought would have to wait.

* * *

**And so, our cute little trio is already causing trouble in the city...Mello and Matt...you idiots.**

**Please tell me if I'm moving the story along too quickly because I feel like I am! **

**Please leave a review if you liked the story! 3**


	8. Day 25

**Disclaimer: Note that none of these characters belong to me. I an merely borrowing them for use in the fanfic.**

**Note: This story will contain Yaoi/Shounen-Ai.**

**Another Note: I'm really horrible at writing humor. If you have any suggestions, PLEASE, don't hesitate to leave them in a review or message!**

* * *

Day 25

Three young minds, camping in a warehouse until they could think of where their mentor was. Pathetic. Near, if he'd brought enough supplies, could have easily made them a fort. But, no. Mello wouldn't allow his adopted brother to outshine him again.

That night, they hadn't made it back to the warehouse before the rain started. The trio had been forced to camp under a small overhang. Firewood had been given to them, in hopes they would find their way soon.

Matt fished around for his lighter, taking a good five minutes before he found it. Flipping the tiny switch, a blue flame jutted out from the miniscule item. He lowered it to the wood and blew on the sparks, willing the fire into existence. With a loud 'snap', orange flames burst from the logs, dancing across the wood as if it was alive. Matt just stared, enchanted. Near and Mello watched Matt, wondering if he'd ever seen fire before in his life.

Rain thundered around their camp, trying desperately to find a way in.

It wouldn't.

It couldn't.

A cold wind blew foul upon the trio's little shelter. The setup didn't have walls, so they fell victim to a harsh spray of the rain. Not enough to put out their fire, though.

Thankfully.

Matt, being on the outer edge of the fire, farthest away, found himself shivering after about an hour. He looked to Mello and Near. Near seemed perfectly fine, against a wall. Rainy winds barely reached him. Mello, though, the red-head couldn't understand. Wearing the skimpiest clothes of the three, Mello sat perfectly still, just as vulnerable to the wind as Matt was. He wasn't shivering, though. Was Matt the only one penetrated by the wall of cold that hit them from time to time?

Mello finally turned his eyes away from the flames. Where his gaze ended was at Matt, vibrating more than any human should. In pity for his friend, the blonde scooted to the shivering boy and wrapped himself around the other. Immediately Matt blushed, and Mello laughed kindly.

Near had fallen asleep, leaning against the back wall.

The whole night, after that, became nothing more than a warm, golden fuzz. Matt remembered being happy, more thankful and grateful for what he had than ever.

If only the batteries hadn't been ruined.

* * *

Ashes met his eyes as he woke.

A warm presence moved slightly beside him. Mello snuggled closer, curled up against him. Matt felt himself blushing as the sleeping blonde's arms suddenly wrapped around him.

"Mello…"

"Mello, wake up."

Near yawned and looked around. It had stopped raining, but it wasn't yet dawn. When had he fallen asleep? The first thing the ghost saw was Matt trying to wake up his best friend, which was precariously hugging him in the depths of slumber. Mello, he knew, was a rock when he wanted to be, and wouldn't wake up if there was a hurricane.

Matt, giving up, finally stood, slipping out of Mello's hold. That woke the blonde up, and he whipped into a sitting position. He looked up at Matt, who had stepped out into the cold, morning air.

The red-head turned. His eyes lighted on Mello.

"Good morning."

A muffled groan was the reply.

Near stood and joined Matt. He lightly kicked Mello.

"Get up. We have to get moving if we ever want to find L."

"Y'know," Matt began complaining. "We didn't think this out very well, did we?"

"No, we didn't," Mello mumbled, finally joining the two others.

Grabbing their rucksacks, the trio started off again. Mello wouldn't stop complaining about how sore he was. Matt retaliated with the knowledge of what position the two were in when he had woken up. That silenced the blonde.

* * *

L stared at the pile of glass he'd found the moment before. One of the cheaper vases, but still quite loved in the building. He sighed and shuffled away to find Watari. It had already been a long night. No new cases, but Light had refused to sleep. The two, out of boredom, had erected a dice city as Near often did.

It wasn't until midnight that the news hit them.

"L, this is Roger," the laptop's speakers mumbled.

"It's nice to hear from you, but normally you wouldn't contact me unless something was wrong."

"Always straight to the point. But, yes, you're right."

L shuffled in his chair. He never had liked bad news.

Bad news had meant he was an orphan.

Bad news had meant his first and only friend was Kira, soon to be executed.

The detective sighed, the black marks under his eyes even more prominent.

"Mello, Near, and Matt are gone."

"What do you mean? They're dead?"

"They very well may be. They've run away to find you."

"You told them I freed Kira, didn't you…" Not a question, but a statement. A fact.

"Yes."

Light could only sit and watch as his newfound friend tore himself apart trying to find leads on his heirs. Without heirs, Light knew, if L were to die, nobody could take his place. The legend would end.

"They'll find us, don't worry."

It didn't consol L. The detective wasn't one to worry, but he could not think of anything else that night. No heirs meant no L. What if they died? Japan could be a very dangerous place sometimes.

* * *

After somewhat of an hour, Light was fed up. He stood and stalked towards L. The detective went still after Light wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug.

"Don't. Worry," he cooed into L's ear.

The raven-haired detective merely nodded and went into the kitchen to find cake.

Ryuk was sitting on the kitchen table, eating an apple. His red eyes followed L as he shuffled to where Watari tried to hide the cake. Shinigami or not, he didn't like being ignored.

"So your heirs are lost, huh? I can find them if you want. It would give me something to do around here, at least."

L ignored him.

"L…" Light made to attempt to comfort his sulking friend, but the detective passed by without a word. It reminded Light of the guards in prison.

Not letting him reach the stairs, Light bolted forward and tackled L. Both landed on the ground with a thump. L stared at him, his mood lifted slightly. What had Light been thinking?

He hadn't.

L smiled for the first time that day. A warm smile that silently said 'thank you'.

* * *

"Stop pushing!"

"Ow! Near, move over!"

"You'd think we'd have learned that alleyways are too small for the three of us to walk side by side."

Mello and Matt were squished together, both blushing at the close contact.

"Move over, Near!"

"There's no room."

"Yes there is!" For the past two statements, Matt and Mello had been yelling simultaneously.

"No."

Mello took out a gun and pointed it, sideways, at Near. The ghost sighed and tilted his head, rolling his eyes.

Mello pulled the trigger. Making an audible 'click', the gun refused to shoot.

"The rain ruined the gunpowder, stupid. Just like it did my batteries."

Mello glared.

Matt shrunk away.

Near smirked.

The three continued on through the mist of early morning.

* * *

**Please leave a review if you liked the story!**


	9. Day 26

**Disclaimer: Note that none of these characters belong to me. I an merely borrowing them for use in the fanfic.**

**Note: This story will contain Yaoi/Shounen-Ai.**

**Another Note: I'm really horrible at writing humor. If you have any suggestions, PLEASE, don't hesitate to leave them in a review or message!**

* * *

Day 26

Rain. Leaving streaks as it slid down the windows, doubling upon itself. Somewhat like a waterfall, crashing down upon the earth in a torrential thunder. Masses of aural stimuli that would drive anyone insane had it not been for the fact that every living thing seemed predisposed to enjoy it, feel more relaxed. Streets flooded, many forced to leave their homes in search of higher ground. Hopes smashed, dreams abandoned. The wind, cold and foul, called out to those drowning or dying.

'_Give up hope, abandon your dreams_._ I will take good care of them, you, and your loved ones'_

L stared out the window, worried for the three runaways.

"Don't answer the wind's call," he whispered through the rain, through the window.

Worry wracked even Light's mind. He saw, through that sort of emotion, Kira was fading away. He no longer would kill without hesitation as he would've the week before. Now, he'd think about it, and only use the Death Note if that criminal needed to die. But why had he changed so much? Maybe it was because of L.

But…All those people. He'd taken life away from them without even thinking twice about it. How could he have done such a thing? Maybe…maybe he was a murderer. A criminal. Meant to be dead with all those thousands…

From standing beside L, Light suddenly turned, holding back tears. What a horrible person he'd turned out to be. Evil, cruel, merciless… Horrid in every way.

Why had L saved him? Why had L seen a light in him when he was so corrupted beyond sanity?!

He was better off dead.

Walking quickly away, Light picked up pace as he traveled.

L turned, finally noticing that Light's presence had vanished. Giving the flooded streets a last glance, L trotted off in search of his friend.

His cheeks damp from the realization, from the knowledge, Light twisted around the massive building, finally coming to rest in the basement. Why had L saved him from execution? There had been no point, no reason.

The basement was dark and dreary, holding memories of despair and hatred. The same feelings Light felt, but the hate was directed at himself. There was no point to his life. It was a lie. L probably didn't want him there, anyway. He was only keeping Light for his own amusement. But L wasn't cruel. He knew that. Thinking about the detective, he felt some sort of warmth consume him. What did it mean?

* * *

Soft, inaudible footsteps made themselves known halfway down the stairs. Light looked up from where he was sitting, curled up on the floor. Realizing who was coming, he looked around frantically for a place to hide. Seeing the creation of boredom he'd made in the past few days, Light dove inside.

The large Lego house covered him on five sides. Flooring added another. Windows were evenly spaced around the hunt. A small door, only large enough for him and L to fit through, could swing open, allowing the creator easy passage. Light had thought originally to just take the roof off every time, but that would be too much of a hassle. Now, he was grateful that he chose to make the door.

Peeping out one of the front windows, the brunette noticed L looking around the room, his face the perfect image of worry.

He was worried.

About Light.

Why would L be worried? It wasn't like he was going to do anything to himself.

The detective's eyes, through his hair, finally rested on Light, peering through the window. He sighed, slowly shuffling to where his friend was hiding. He knelt down, curling into his habitual knee-hug, and stared through the window.

"May I come in?"

The door shifted open.

L squeezed inside. The structure was very roomy, gifting its resident with space enough for seven. It wasn't dark, thanks to the windows, but the lighting was as dim as the basement around it.

Tears glittered on Light's cheeks. L felt something tear. His heart, maybe.

"…What's wrong?"

Feeling a new wave of pain, Light curled back up, hiding his face from the world. Something touched him. That same thing pulled him into its lap, its arms folded around him. He twisted around and grabbed L's shirt, crying into the cotton.

He didn't deserve to live.

Didn't deserve the life L had given him.

Didn't deserve L.

* * *

"Stupid rain. Stupid gun."

"Quit whining."

Mello reached up to punch Near, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned around and ended up face to face with Matt. The red-head had a disapproving look in his eyes.

Reverting to glaring at the ghost boy, Mello grabbed Matt's hand and proceeded to walk faster.

The red-head suddenly stopped.

"What are you doing?"

Near came to stand next to Matt, staring at him precariously.

The boy in question was staring into space, as if he was seeing something.

"Hey guys…" Mat mumbled, his voice nearly a whisper. It was pained.

Near and Mello just stared.

"L is probably at his headquarters."

Why hadn't they though of that?

"Why didn't you think of that?!" Mello had grabbed Near by the collar of the shirt and was proceeding to smash him against a brick wall.

"Why didn't _you_?"

Near was promptly dropped. Mello stalked away, visibly smoking with frustration and rage. Matt followed closely behind. Near sighed and trailed after them.

* * *

It was a long while before Light calmed down. L couldn't place the feeling he was filled with, but it was nice. He wanted Light to be next to him always, but not like this.

Tired and waterlogged, Light sat in L's lap, falling asleep from the unusual episode.

It had, indeed, been a long day; for both parties.

* * *

Both out of their most precious items, chocolate and cigarettes, the two held hands as they traveled. Near followed closely behind, not wanting to crowd the road any further.

The trio had eventually come across the main highway, the very one that they had been on when they first left Wammy's House. But then, it had been just an aimless wander. They actually knew where they were going this time.

This time.

They had found their way.

It seemed Mello and Matt were becoming even closer as friends, a feat previously thought impossible. Maybe there was something more to their relationship. Something undetected by anyone but Near.

Twirling a strand of hair, the young boy proceeded to break into a trot, hoping to close the distance that had come about while he'd been thinking.

It had been an interesting day, as the trio could not have been traveling faster on foot. They were all desperate to find shelter before the next rainstorm. The one the previous night had been dreadful, nearly claiming Matt's life in the floods that had followed. Mello had been distraught, worrying over Matt like a mother over a child.

* * *

As the sun set, it cast a red-blue light over the sky. The trio sat on the edge of the deserted highway, their legs dangling off the edge. The sea directly below, tainted gold, shone brightly. Matt and Mello, sitting side-by-side, slowly leaned towards each other, coming to rest with Matt's head lying sideways on Mello's shoulder. Near had to admit, they were cute together. He, if things continued like that, could see a very bright future for the two. Matt looked up to Mello so much, and Mello saw so much in Matt. It was beautiful… in a creepy way.

Mello could feel Matt's breathing as he sat there, his head on Mello's shoulder. The blonde smiled. He wiggled his legs around as they hung from the highway, over the ocean. It was true; his fondness for Matt was growing with every passing day. What if their friendship turned into a relationship? Would L approve? What would he think?

Matt lifted his head, taking it away from Mello's warm shoulder. He looked to the blonde, which looked back. He was very weary, very ready for a real bed to sleep in. He was sick of the journey. Not once, while they'd been packing, had he thought it would go on for so long. Not once.

* * *

**Please leave a review if you liked the story!**


	10. Day 29

**Disclaimer: Note that none of these characters belong to me. I an merely borrowing them for use in the fanfic.**

**Note: This story will contain Yaoi/Shounen-Ai.**

**Another Note: I'm really horrible at writing humor. If you have any suggestions, PLEASE, don't hesitate to leave them in a review or message!**

* * *

Day 29

After coming off the main road, the trio had eventually been forced to abandon all streets for sake of saving time. Over countless fields and plains, rain and sleet had forced the three to lose distance. They probably would have saved time if they'd stuck to the road. The one other thing Near didn't calculate or remember was the river.

Standing on the edge of a wide expanse of muddy water, Mello fumed at his adopted brother. Matt had long decided to stay out of the one-sided argument. He wouldn't be able to help anyway. No, Mello was too enraged at that point.

Near sat staring at the blonde, wondering when his ranting would end. Sometimes, the boy really could be annoying. He would rant for hours like that, just screaming at the boy for getting them lost.

"We're not lost. I'd just forgotten about the river." Near looked at the ground, away from Mello.

Matt placed a hand on Mello's shoulder to calm him down. Over the past days, they'd become even closer.

"Which way is the road?" Matt turned his head both ways the river gave them access to. Neither showed any signs of life aside the vast fields.

"I'm not sure," Near replied sheepishly.

"Then we're lost! Nice going, bone-head!"

"Mello, calm down." Matt gave the blonde a crude and disapproving look.

A slight wind rustled the tall grass, creating a whispering that seemed to call to the trio.

They needed to find a way to cross the river, but how?

"We could swim…"

"No, that would be suicide."

"Maybe we could make a raft out of grass and float across."

"Another suicide."

Mello was hiding in the grass, fuming at Near's stupidity. The boy always got them lost. He should have never followed the bleach-blonde idiot.

"I'm stumped"

"You never apply yourself, that's why."

"I know." Matt turned to look at Mello, who had vanished completely in the grass. The only indication of his location was the oval of missing grass.

"We should travel upriver and see if there's a thinner point. Maybe we can jump across."

"Sounds like a plan. C'mon Mello." Matt reached into the oval and took Mello's hand. The blonde grumbled, but stood up anyway.

* * *

"Do you think he'd use the Death Note if he got it back?"

"Nah. He's changed too much. I doubt he'd even consider it." The apple crunched and slurped as the Shinigami bit into it.

L nodded and committed the idea to memory. If Light _did _try to use the Death Note again, he didn't know what he'd do. If Light succeeded in killing anyone, he'd be executed. There was no doubt about it this time. The boy had barely gotten away from that fate the previous time. L couldn't save him again.

L looked back up. The Shinigami had vanished, taking L's cake with him again. The detective sighed and stalked back to the kitchen. He only wished he could show the damned beast that his cake belonged to _him_. It was a very cruel prank, but Ryuk seemed to love it.

There had been nothing eventful of late. Light's mental state had only broken down further, and L had attempted to consol him day after day. It took quite some time, but Light was slowly growing fonder of L. They inched closer with every passing day. But they would never fill all the gaps. Right? Maybe they would, but L knew Light wasn't gay. Nor was he. But if there was any proof that Light was, then he would find it.

Pulling out the record booklet of Light, he shifted through the pages. There was nothing that would say he was. Maybe behavioral disorders? No, none of those. He just didn't seem like the type of person that would pair with their own sex. But, one could never know unless they knew that person by heart. He didn't know Light very well. Not yet, at least.

Pulling out the last file, L decided to read over it thoroughly, hoping to catch something. The last two words of the page were 'Light Yagami'. What could he get from that? Maybe spelling them backwards? It was worth a try.

He decided to start with 'Light'. Thgil. That meant nothing in the slightest. Maybe 'Yagami' would give him something.

'Imagay'. How odd…Almost as strange as 'thgil'. But space it out and you got… 'I'm a gay'. L stared at the paper, stunned. Could that be proof? No, just coincidence. There was no chance anyone would purposely change their last name to be some sort of puzzle like that. No. It just wasn't possible.

* * *

With his hair still slightly damp, just after showering, Light slipped down the stairs to see L engrossed in a large folder. The folder had his name on it.

"Did you get a new case?"

L immediately crumpled up a paper that had been on his desk.

"No." He wasn't a very good actor.

Light could tell he was hiding something. He held out his hand.

"Give me the paper."

In a last effort, L shoved the paper into his mouth. Through the wad, he mumbled: "What paper?"

If it was really that important, Light wasn't going to find out. Maybe it was where the Death Note was. That would be silly, but a plausible explanation for L's behavior. Maybe it had his real name on it. He probably didn't have any information written down about himself, though. Did he even know what his real name was?

* * *

The water ran deep and muddy there, but the river was much thinner than before. At its thinnest, the waterway only reached approximately four feet in width. It was still a far jump, but they were sure they could make it. All except for Near.

He'd never been much of an athlete, so the jump might be somewhat like a leap of faith for him. If he fell in, though, they might lose him. He had to do his best, or he might not only _look _as pale as a ghost.

Mello shuddered. He didn't want Near to haunt him.

"Are you sure this is the thinnest place we'll find?" Near seemed uncertain.

"It probably is, Near, considering how wide everything else is." Mello wasn't happy with how scared his brother was. It unsettled him, and also annoyed him.

"How about we jump first, and you can see how it's done? Besides, we have to get across soon or I'll go insane. I hate the outdoors"

Mello went first. In a flying leap, he cleared the gap and landed about seven inches away from the edge. Matt, being the less athletic of the two, went next. He felt his heart racing as the brown water soared by beneath him. Only when he felt Mello's reassuring touch did he know that he'd made it. The adrenaline wore off, and he wrapped his arms around Mello, fingers clawing at the blonde's leather jacket. He had never been taught to swim. He had never been brave. Hr had always been the one to scare, the one to tease over cowardice. The one, when you were with him, to point somewhere and scream "ghost!" and laugh when he cowered. Mello had never done anything like that to him. The worst thing Mello had done was to make him jump that river.

Finally, it was Near's turn. He nervously backed up, twiddling his thumbs. The rucksacks had been thrown across before any of them jumped, as to not hinder them. Even so, the ghost boy was very anxious. If anything went wrong, he could, and probably would, lose his life and his chance to see L again. That was the reason they were even out there. To see L. To ask him why he freed Kira. He couldn't let his whole purpose go to waste. Taking a deep breath, he tensed his muscles for the jump. He'd never been so weary to start with, and now he had to jump around four feet across raging, muddy water. Perfect.

Another deep breath, and with all his might, Near bolted forward towards the river. His foot caught the very edge of the tiny cliff that fell into the water. The feeling of flight it gave him was amazing. It felt like magic, like he was actually flying. Only a little farther over the murky waters, and he'd be able to join Mello and Matt on the other side.

The tip of his foot touched the opposite shore. Only the tip. Immediately, his feeling of magic was shattered as his whole leg was submerged. He yelped with how cold the water was, and with surprise. It was the end. He was going to die, to drown.

A hand wrapped around his own. Mello's eyes burned down into his, blazing with determination. He seemed to have decided already that he would _not_ let Near die. Matt Grabbed Near's other hand, and they hauled him onto the other side. All three panting, they lay in the grass, too tired to move. It had been a long trip. Eight days of constant travel had taken its toll on the trio, as well as not having enough food or water. They would be at headquarters soon, but would they make it? If anyone, who would be claimed by death's hand?

After many minutes, the three stood up lethargically, and tottered along. Without any warning, though, Mello tripped, toppling face-first into the damp earth.

Matt laughed openly, and Mello glared at him, wiping the mud off his face.

_Damn, I love that kid._

_Wait…I love him…_

_Damn! I love him!_

The realization caused Matt to stop dead in his tracks, the other two continuing to walk. His eyes wide as saucers, he stood stalk-still, his mouth slightly agape.

Mello backtracked and took Matt's hands. At the contact, the latter blushed deeply, still slightly in shock with his new knowledge. Unknowing of the red coloring that had found its way to Matt's face, Mello continued on. Near dipped behind Mello to peer over at Matt, who was still blushing. The ghost smiled. He had known it would happen eventually.

* * *

**Please leave a review if you liked the story!**

**Also, this will be the last post until next Saturday. I am deeply sorry for the delay, but I will be vacationing in Savannah, Georgia during this time. Again, I apologize.**


	11. Day 32

**Disclaimer: Note that none of these characters belong to me. I an merely borrowing them for use in the fanfic.**

**Note: This story will contain Yaoi/Shounen-Ai.**

**Another Note: I'm really horrible at writing humor. If you have any suggestions, PLEASE, don't hesitate to leave them in a review or message!**

**

* * *

**

Day 32

"We can't give up, can we?"

"No. If we do, we might lose each other. I don't think I could live without you…"

"Mello…" Matt leaned forward towards the blonde. Strong hands grasped the back of his jacket and pulled him closer. Warm eyes glowed down at him as the boy smiled. His breath, hot and sweet, intermingled with Matt's. Chocolate was a strong part of the scent. Cold, winter air swirled around the couple.

Pulling Matt even closer, sealing the gaps between them, Mello leaned forward and pressed his lips to the red-head's. More than anything, he loved him. More than anything, he wanted him.

The love of his life, standing before him on that cold, winter day.

* * *

"Matt!"

His mind was foggy, as if a veil covered it.

"Matt! Wake up!"

Something was shaking him violently, but he couldn't place what it was.

"Matt! Please, wake up!"

The voice sounded choked and painful, as if the bearer was crying. Seemingly to prove the point, a strangled sob came from above.

His eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the light painfully slowly.

"Finally…" Something hit the ground, sighing, still with tears in its voice.

The sun of early morning was harsh, stinging his eyes as they opened. Finally sitting up, Matt groaned. His head was throbbing, and he was freezing to death.

"Well, knowing that he's alright, we should get a move on. Time is precious now that one of us has fallen ill."

"Huh? What do you mean, Near?" Matt mumbled, rubbing his head.

Mello stood up, extending a hand to Matt. At the sight, Matt's memories of the winter day came rushing back. Had that all just been a dream?

"You almost died, Matt. I was so scared that we were going to lose you."

Matt stared up at the blonde, dumbfounded. He had almost died? Of what?!

"I know what you're thinking. A fever. Apparently, the outdoors decided to make our trip a bit more difficult," Near muttered, picking up Matt's share of the rucksacks as well as his own.

"I hate the outdoors."

* * *

Midday found the trio resting in the shade, Matt a bit worse for wear. Mello was brooding over him worriedly, as if he actually cared as more than a friend. The thought made Matt smile. His fever had returned, and Near had decided the situation was becoming urgent. He'd halted the journey temporarily so Matt could rest. Even _he_ didn't want to lose the red-head. Apparently, Near really was warming up to the two, no matter how stupid they both were.

"No food, no water, Matt's sick…Could things get any worse?" Mello complained very loudly, amplifying the crudeness of the situation.

"We could still be on the other side of that river and it could be snowing." Near didn't even look up from his work as he spoke. He was weaving two leaves together, forming a small bowl. It was a great alternative to his usual toys, which he didn't feel like unpacking and getting dirty.

"You two are giving me a headache. You especially, Mello." Even when complaining, Matt's voice was tainted with love towards the blonde.

Mello seemed hurt, and so sat down, keeping his mouth shut aside from a mumbled 'sorry'.

The rest of the afternoon, the three sat under the tree, Matt slowly recovering as the night cooled down. Near had decided they would travel fastest by night, resting a portion of the day as to keep the red-head healthy.

"How long will it take to get there?"

Near stopped his weaving. Nineteen bowls sat in a ring around him. "About another day."

"That's not too bad," Matt murmured, trying to be positive.

Mello kept his mouth shut, but wanted with all his heart to yell that it was. He didn't, for Matt's sake. Near continued his weaving.

* * *

L paced from one side of the room to the other, albeit very slowly. His feet scuffed the floor. The ground in the building wasn't the best for bare feet. Sometimes, due to this, he wished he was back in the headquarters he'd used for the Kira investigation. Light could only watch as the days grew longer. It had been eleven days since the trio had left the orphanage, and L was growing more worried by the minute. He was strangely convinced they'd died on the trip. Light thought otherwise. They weren't weak, or sickly. There was no reason for them to be dead. It just didn't make any sense. Why were they taking so long?

A wolf howled outside. Being in the middle of nowhere really had its perks. The forest, not far away, was much more tranquil than the vast prairies to the east. Light just hoped the three had made is across the river in one piece. It was very wide at points, reaching over ten feet in diameter. In other areas, the deepest it reached was ten inches. Yet it could easily sweep someone off their feet and drown them. This was what worried both of the two.

"L." Light put a hand on the worrying detective's shoulder. "You need to calm down. I'm sure they'll be here soon."

Without warning, L wrapped his arms around Light, hugging him, thanking him for his attempt at consolation. True, it had helped a bit. He only wished, though, to hear the 'click' of the main door opening, seeing his successors in good shape. But he knew, with the eleven days they'd been gone, that the trio would be in less than perfect condition. No doubt, with all the rain, one of them was sick. The river may have taken a life as well. They would be dirty and hungry, miserable, scratched and bruised… But that wasn't something he should think about. He pulled Light closer, worried out of his mind. He couldn't focus on finding new cases. But more than the trio, he was wondering What Light's feelings were towards him.

* * *

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

Thunder cracked as lightning lit up the night sky. Illuminated, the massive building stood before the three like a monster waiting for its chance to eat them. Matt stood, huddled against Mello, holding onto him tightly. He had never liked lightning, and was actually quite scared of it. Mello smiled, despite the trio's haggard position.

He was going to kill Kira the moment he laid eyes on the bastard. But would Near get in the way? He hoped not. The pest…if he did anything to stop Mello, he'd kill the ghost along with Kira. Feeling the gun in his pocket, Mello grinned even wider. He couldn't wait to hear Kira's cries of anguish and misery. He felt the gun in his pocket, making sure it was still there. Matt shivered beside him.

The red-head's condition had not improved that day, but it hadn't declined either. Maybe that was a good thing?

Another flash lit the sky. Matt inched closer to Mello.

"Let's go," the blonde mumbled, his voice grim with his intentions. He stepped towards the building, up to the main door, and entered in the old combination. A distinct 'beep' ensued, but the door refused to open. All three stared at the door, waiting for something had happened.

"He must've changed the combination."

"We'll just have to search the area. Roger will have told him that we were gone, and he probably left a clue or something."

Near nodded.

Rain pattered on the ground, harder than a waterfall. Every square inch under Mello's feet was pure mud, squelching whenever he took a step. Wet and frustrated, not watching his feet, the blonde all but tripped on a small mound in the mud. Growling furiously, Mello thought about kicking the offending bulge, but decided against it. Maybe whatever had almost tripped him was just the clue covered in mud. Maybe it was a rock. There was only one way to find out.

Reaching down, Mello fished around the mud pile until his fingers closed around something hard. The mud created an audible slurping sound as the bundle was torn away. The package's mud coating was washed away by the rain within a minute. It was revealed to be a small, tan box, tied together with crude strings. Mello, curious, tore the strings apart and unfolded the bundle. Immediately, a tiny letter dropped to the ground. Mello bent down, still holding the original package, and picked the paper out of the mud. He unfolded the sliver of paper and read the contents speedily for fear the pounding rain would wash away what little text adorned the message.

_Matt, Mello, and Near;_

_I assume you have made it in one piece. Now, if you've been looking for this and have, obviously, found it, then you've probably discovered that the passcode to the main building has been changed. For security reasons, I cannot directly place the new code onto this slip, nor can I tell you other ways to get in._

Just below the letter was a complex message in a different language. It definitely wasn't Russian or any other language the trio knew. Figures. A code. Also, a complex mathematical equation. Probably to find the actually passcode. He would let Near take that one.

_Sorry for the inconvenience of forcing you to solve the code, but I assume you completed the simple task within five minutes. Now, what I wanted to say was that there is a key inside the rest of the package. If the passcode does not work, since Watari and I have been having difficulties with it, use the key._

_Good luck._

_L_

Indeed, inside the package was a small, brass key. It shimmered in the dim light, letting off indications of text. It didn't matter what the key said. In such weak light, he'd not be able to read it anyway. Besides, there was too little time and none to waste.

Trotting back to the main entrance, Mello found Near and Matt waiting, huddled against the door. He handed the letter to Near and told the other to solve the equation. In moments, the answer had been found. 37921804685. Simple enough. Near typed it into the keypad. Clicking, the doors slid open. There had been no use for the key.

The main room was very dark. Mello had half expected L to be awake, typing away at the computer, working on a new case. But then…where was he?

Near had vanished. Perfect. The ghost had probably gone looking for L, but why not bother to tell the others? True, it was Near…but still. If he'd found the detective, Near was not likely to come back anytime soon. He'd stay and talk instead.

A dark shape inched closer, hidden by the shadows.

"I've finally found you…" Mello grinned, pulling out a gun…


	12. Murder

**Disclaimer: Note that none of these characters belong to me. I an merely borrowing them for use in the fanfic.**

**Note: This story will contain Yaoi/Shounen-Ai.**

**Another Note: I'm really horrible at writing humor. If you have any suggestions, PLEASE, don't hesitate to leave them in a review or message!**

* * *

Murder

"It's nice to see you, Near. Are the others alright?" The detective sat in his signature knee-hug.

"It's a pleasure, L. Yes, for the most part. We're all a bit bruised, and Matt had been plagued with fevers. Otherwise, we're fine." Near pulled his right leg up to his chest and placed both hands on the knee.

"I'll have Watari take care of Matt. Any prob-" L was cut off by the sound of gunshot. His eyes widened considerably. _Light…_ Just a few minutes before, the two had been talking about the fact that Mello and Matt had grown quite close, and L had admitted to his growing affection for Light. There was no mistaking it. He, for the first time, was in love. And that love had probably just been shattered with the sound of the gun. Taken away forever. Light's blood would be spilled across the floor, his corpse in the middle of a pool.

Near stood up and quickly shuffled towards the main room where the sound had obviously come from.

L sat still, in shock, unable to regain his focus. After a good ten seconds, he snapped out of the daze. The chair fell over backwards as L ran from the room. He didn't often run, so it was a very strange feeling.

Near picked up speed as L flew past him. It was Mello, he was sure of it. That bastard had probably killed Kira at first glance, without a moment's hesitation to think that L might have had plans. If Kira was dead, those plans were ruined. No. Matt would've stopped him. Hopefully.

* * *

Matt leaped forward and collided with Mello. Not a second later, the blonde pulled the trigger on his gun, held sideways like always. Instead of Kira's heart as Mello had intended, the bullet stepped a few inches sideways, cutting through Kira's arm. The brunette grabbed the wounded area and all but screamed with the agony that struck him. He collapsed into a kneeling position, his eyes squeezed tight shut. Immense pain was evident on his face.

Matt landed atop Mello, their lips almost touching. So badly, he wanted to lean forward just a bit more and… No. It wasn't the time. Then, something he didn't expect. The blonde's lips met his, Mello coming up to fill the space.

It was only a quick kiss, as L and Near burst into the room, L's face the very picture of L's version of panic. The detective rushed to Light, who's wound was bleeding profusely, the bullet having gone through one side of his arm and out the other. He was gritting his teeth, his eyes closed; one squeezed tight shut, more so than the other. L knelt at his side, calling Watari immediately after. The detective whispered something in Light's ear. For some reason, the latter blushed widely and seemed to relax a bit. L leaned in and placed a peck on Light's cheek. Mello was horrified.

Matt stared into the blonde's eyes. They were focused on the other couple. He reached down and lightly touched Mello's cheek. The blonde responded by staring up at Matt and blushing a light red. The coloring complimented his eyes, so thought by Matt. The red-head's legs were parted as he balanced on his shins. One leg was on either side of Mello's abdomen, causing the blonde to blush further. Sliding out from under Matt, he sat up. Matt inched forward, close enough to press his lips to Mello's.

L murmured in Light's ear, practically cooing. The latter seemed to slowly relax more and more, blocking out the pain of his wound. He looked to L, being forced to turn his head sideways, and stared into L's eyes. The two leaned forward slightly.

Both pairs were locked in their first true kisses, completely discovering their passion for the other. Both parted at the same time, and in that instant, dominant and submissive were decided. L, surprisingly, turned out to be the former in his couple, forcing Light into the latter position. Mello was dominant. He always had been.

Mello's eyes closed, barely, as he looked down. His lips were still parted slightly, and he remained sitting under Matt. Near merely stood and twirled a strand of hair.

All four, blushing darkly, their cheeks virtually roses, stood. Light still held his arm, the blood seeping through his fingers. L took him to the infirmary to have the wound closed and dressed. Mello and Matt stood still, facing each other, not looking at the other. Matt rubbed his lower arm, and Mello just seemed embarrassed. He was yearning for chocolate, something he had completely forgotten about over the trip. Replace 'chocolate' with 'cigarettes', and Matt's mind fit perfectly. His addiction had faded, but still, one couldn't hurt. If Mello had chocolate, he was going to smoke. It was only fair.

* * *

His wound dressed, Light sat at the small table, directly next to L. The detective sat in his knee-hug, as always. Mello and Matt's hands were clasped together, resting on the table's surface. They had no intention of hiding their love. Mello sat across from Light, who he still thought of as Kira, and was fuming. If L hadn't taken away his guns, the bastard would be dead by then. But that would hurt L greatly, and Mello couldn't bear to do that to his mentor. So, he reverted to glaring maliciously at the brunette. Matt squeezed Mello's hand, getting the blonde's attention.

Shortly after both parties had their wounds closed and cleaned, the foursome had eaten dinner. Of course, in L's case, it was cake. Could cake qualify as dinner? Light didn't think so. The only thing that bothered him was that all through dinner and after, Mello refused to stop glaring at him. It was like the blonde didn't trust him. L inched closer to Light, still on his seat. Time passed very slowly, none of the group speaking. Near fumbled with a small strand of hair. Mello dug his nails into the table, and into Matt's hand. The latter grimaced.

Mello stayed glaring at Light, who was leaning against L, who was balanced on his chair, watching Matt, who was annoyed with Mello. Near stayed away from the circle, twisting a playing card into a seemingly impossible shape.

* * *

L pushed Light into a laying position for the tenth time. He understood the latter's unhappiness towards sleeping in the infirmary, which reeked of medicine. Still, Light needed to stay there, in case anything happened, he'd be close to medical supplies.

"I don't want to stay here!" Light screeched, sitting up again. At that rate, he was bound to reopen his wound.

"I know. I don't care." L finally stood and turned his back on Light, frustrated at the younger man. Couldn't he see it was for his own good?

"But….." Light murmured in a pitiful tone. He knew L would be upset if he didn't stay in the infirmary, but it was just something he didn't want to do.

"L!" Light screamed towards L's back as the latter retreated.

Mello stood outside, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. He grinned, hidden by the shadows, cold malice in his eyes. Once L was busy and the others were asleep, he planned to finish what he'd started only a few hours before.

_Sleep well, Kira, because you won't be waking up._

L saw the blonde. He gave the other a glare that could freeze one's blood in their veins.

"If you hurt Light, Mello, I will never forgive you." He turned and stalked away.

Mello just stood, dumbfounded at L's new emotion. Apparently, that plan was foiled. There _had _to be a way to dispose of Light. Some way that L wouldn't figure him out too quickly. Maybe he could give Light a disease. But where would he get that sort of thing? Poison, then? No. Too unoriginal. Strangling might work.

Light flopped onto the bed. He wasn't tired, so he was restless. It was easy to become bored in headquarters, as there was little to do. L was the only thing that gave him amusement, or Ryuk. Speaking of which, an inhuman head dropped out of the ceiling, followed by a lanky, thin body. The abomination curled into a sitting position, its legs crossed awkwardly.

"Hello, Ryuk." It had been a long while since Light and Ryuk had been together, and he'd not seen the beast for over ten days. But still, Light had heard the Shinigami's voice, addressing L. There had been no response. That had been seven days ago, when Matt, Mello, and Near were missing. But they'd finally found the headquarters, just as Light had predicted.

"It's been awhile, hasn't it?" The Shinigami tilted his head as if there were no bones in his neck, his gravelly voice slightly dull. He hadn't seen what had happened the night before. Hadn't heard the shot. "So why are you in here, anyway? Did you get hurt?"

"I forgot you weren't there when Mello and I met. He shot me." Light said this with no emotion, no expression adorning his features. But, then, he became rather serious, and slightly grim. "Look, Ryuk…I need you to do me a favor…"

* * *

Matt stepped back, surprised, when the door flung open. Mello stormed in, practically smoking with his anger.

"Wrath is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, you know. It's not good to be so angry all the time."

"Shut up, Matt!"

The addressed seemed utterly hurt, giving Mello puppy-dog eyes. "And it's no better to take it out on those you care about…"

"Where'd this wisdom come from? You normally act so stupid."

"That was mean. And since I met you, I've been trying a bit harder."

Mello stopped, his expression fading. He had known Matt worked harder for him, but not _that_ much.

He turned around and slowly stepped towards Matt. Matt noticed this, and did the same. Within moments, they were locked in a tight embrace.

"Matt…You shouldn't have stopped me earlier."

"We wouldn't have realized our love for one another, would we?"

"At one point or another, we would have."

"Maybe, but maybe not. You never know." The red-head hugged Mello tighter as he said this. He was afraid Mello would just vanish, that the dream would end and he would be back with his parents. Or back at the orphanage, but without the blonde. He had never liked the orphanage. Mello and Near were the only ones that had ever accepted him as a person. As a friend or someone they would even get near to. Maybe that was his fault, though. He never spoke to anyone, never made eye contact. He spent all his time on his handheld games, finishing some within ten minutes, not bothering to save. Maybe that was why they stayed away from him. Maybe that was why they called him a silver-goggled freak. The name hadn't bothered him, and he didn't mind any of the others they gave him. But that was until Mello showed up, gaining Matt's attention by nailing him in the head with a rock.

"We should get to bed. It's almost midnight." _And Kira will be asleep. I'll just wait until you're asleep, then slip out to kill that bastard._

"Fine." Matt slipped into his bed, one separate from Mello's. The blonde wanted so badly to climb into Matt's bed and sleep with him instead of alone. But no, he wouldn't be able to get away that way. Not without waking the red-head up. That would cause problems.

* * *

Finally. _Finally_. He heard light snoring from the other bed. It was time.

_To be continued..._

* * *

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